Apparatus for regulating the temperature and flow of water in pipes



(No Model. a Sheets-Sheet 1-. E. A. NEWMAN.

APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE AND PLOW OP 7 WATER IN PIPES.

No. 372,232. v Patented 001:. 25, .1887.

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N. PETERS: Phumlilhugmphfln Washingtum l c.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A E. A.-NEWMAN. APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE AND PLOW OF-WATER IN PIPES.

Patented Oct'. 25, 1887.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheetg-Sheet 3.

E E. A. NEWMAN. 4 APPARATUS'EOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE AND FLOW OFWATER IN PIPES.

Y P te ted Oct. 25, .1887- a .1

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N. PETERS. Pholoiilhogmphcr. Willhlllgion. D, C.

"NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN A. NEWMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-FOURTH TO DAVID L. SNEDIKER, OF EMPORIA, KANSAS.

APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE AND FLOW OF WATER IN PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,232, dated October25, 1887.

Application filed November 13, 1886.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. NEWMAN, of Washington city, District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements forRegulating the Temperature and Flow of Water inNVater-Service Pipes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

A primary feature of my invention is the provision of means forestablishing acommunication between hot and cold water pipes of a pipesystem to prevent freezing.

The invention further consists in the use of a thermostatic apparatuswhich, upon a given temperature, operates to put the hot and cold waterpipes of the system into connection, thereby establishing a circulationwhich tends to equalize the temperature of the waterinthe hot and coldwater pipes, and thus prevents freezing.

Another use of or advantage incident to my invention is that thethermostatic arrangement may be used for the purpose of drawing water ofany desired temperature from a single faucet, to which both the hot andcold wafer are conveyed, as appears more fully be- In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the interior of a house,showing a general arrangement of Water-pipes which may be adopted. Figs.2 to 8, inclusive, are detail views'illustrating the structure of thethermostatic apparatus and the valve operated thereby. Fig. 9 is asectional view ofa portion of the interior, showing another arrangementof service-pipes; and Fig. 10 is a similar view of still anotherarrangement.

In the several drawings the structure of the thermostatic apparatus andsuitable general arrangement of pipes are shown; but the in vention isnot limited to any such details.

Referring specially to Fig. 1, A represents the pipe from thewater-main, one branch, A, of which conveys the cold water through thedwelling, while the other, A runs to and is connected in the usualmanner to a domestic boiler, B, properly connected, as usual, with thewaterback of a heating apparatus. pipe O is the hot-water pipe, leadingfrom the boilerB and distributingthe hot water through the dwelling. Atany suitable point, in one or more places, as may be desired-say at XThe Serial No. 218,817. (No model.)

X X in this figure-the hot and cold water pipes are each connected witha valve-chamber, the valve in which is controlled by a thermostat, as ispresently fully described, so as to permit a flow of water from one ofthe pipes to the other through the connecting-pipes x a: and valvechamber. This will of course tend to equalize the temperature of thewater in the pipes and will prevent freezing. Y Y Y in this figurerepresent either sinks, stands, or tubs for ordinary domestic purposes.

A valve and thermostatic apparatus suitable to be applied at a point, X,in the pipe system shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 5, and6, to which reference is now specially made. Let x to represent thepipes which lead, respectively, from the hot and cold water pipes to thevalve-chamber D, in which an oscillating valve, E, is pivoted at oneside of the casing by a right-angular upright portion, E, of the valve.This valve may be rocked upon its pivot to close or partly close or openeither of the pipes 00 0c. The valve is operated and controlled in thefollowing manner: A horizontally-projecting point on the upright sidepiece, E, of the valve is straddled by the forked end of a lever, E,which is pivoted atf in the upper part of the valve-chamber D at a pointmore or less to one side of a vertical line drawn through the pivot ofthe valve E. The upper end of the lever F is enlarged, as shown, and haspivoted therein the lower end of the thermostatbar G, which is inclosedwithin an extension, D, of the valvechamber, its upper end beingsuit-ably secured by a pin, g, in a screw-plug, H, which works in theupper part of the extension D.

I is a water-delivery pipe connected with a suitable faucet. By screwingthe plug II up and down the thermostatic rod may be adjusted endwiserelatively to the valve E. In this adjustment the leverF will turn uponits pivot f, while the necessary play at the valve E is allowed byreason of the lever F being formed with a forked end, which looselystraddles the horizontal pin on the valve, as before mentioned.

Assuming that the right-hand pipe as is the hot-water pipe, and that itis closed by the valve E, and that the thermostatic rod G has beenadjusted properly, should the cold water ICO in the pipe w andvalve-chamber D Dfall below a given temperature, the contraction of thethermostatic rod would partly open the hot-water pipe :0, so as to opena communication between the hot and cold water pipes, as beforeremarked, and thus tend to equalize the temperature of the water in thepipes and prevent freezing.

The parts will be automatically restored to the initial position aboverecited when the increased temperature in the casin g has operated toagain expand thethermostaticrod. By this automatic intermittentoperation the water in the cold-water pipes may be maintained at thedesired temperature.

In Fig.1 I have shown an apparatus of this kind at the points X, wheretubs or sinks are located; but of course the connections at such placesmay be the ordinary ones, and my invention might be applied at someother independent point in the pipe system.

Any other suitable form of thermostatic apparatus and valve might beemployed. For instance, in Figs. 7 and S I have shown asomewhatdifferent construction, in which the thermostatic bar Gis connected atits end with the short arm of a lever, F, the opposite end of whichcarries a ball-valve, E, which operates to regulate the flow of waterthrough the opposite pipes at x.

A multiplication of illustration and description of such obviousvariations in construction is not deemed necessary.

In Fig. 9 I have shown an arrangement of hot and cold water pipes inwhich the thermostatic rod G is located at the top of the pipe system,mounted upon any suitable frame or support, G, and adapted to operatethe valve E through the intervention of a pivoted lever, F, as will beplain from the drawings.

In Fig. 10 I have shown an arrangement in which a water-tank, T, islocated in the upper part of a building and distributes water throughtwo pipes, P P. At any suitable point is located a small boiler or tank,S, with which one of said pipes is connected. This tank may be heated inany suitable way as, for instance, by a gasjet, as illustrated. At somepoint, preferably at the bottom of the house, a valve, V, connects thetwo pipes P P. In cold weather, by turning this valve by hand orotherwise, communication between the two pipes P P at that point may beestablished and a circulation set up within the pipes to preventfreezing. Of course, when only heat enough is desired at the point S toprevent freezing, a very small degree of heat is re quired only enoughto cause a slight movement of the water in the pipes. Of course, wherewarm water is needed for domestic purposes, some more elaborate heatingapparatus may be employed. Obviously, instead of the thermostaticapparatus illustrated in the other figures, I might employ a valveoperated by hand, so that in cold weather a person might move itsufficiently to establish communication between the hot and cold waterpipes. \Vhen the circulation is established in this way, however, itwould continue, there being a constant tendency to equalization oftemperature in the two pipes. Where the thermostatic apparatus is used,as described, should the water become very cold in the coldwater pipes,suffieient hot water would be admitted to raise the temperature, whenthe thermostat would, by expansion, operate in the opposite direction toclose the hot-water opening and restore the apparatus to the normalcondition.

In order to accurately adjust the thermostat with facility, I provide apointer on the adjusting-plug H, which traverses over aconcentrically-arranged dial, I, which is marked with figures indicatingthe temperature to which the thermostat may be adjusted. For instance,in order to guard against the freezing of the water in the pipes, thepointer may be brought to on the dial, thus adjusting the thermostat tooperate to admit hot water when the temperature in the casing fallsbelow 40.

Another advantage incident to the use of my invention is that by meansof the thermostatic apparatus a person may draw water of any 'desiredtemperature from the pipe H, Fig. 2.

\Vhen the parts are properly related, by the rotation of the plug H thethermostat may be so adjusted as to produce a combined flow of waterfrom the hot and cold water pipes x as, so as to discharge water of theproper temperature from the pipe H.

So far as I am aware, I am the first to make a connection between thehot and cold water pipes of a pipe system to prevent freezing. I amalso, so far as I am aware, the first to employ a thermostatic apparatusfor putting the hot and cold water pipes of a pipe system intoconnection.

I am aware of the use of compound faucets by which mingled hot and coldwater may be drawn from a pipe system, and do not claim such matter.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, with the hot-water pipesof a building and a separate system of cold-water pipes, of aninterposed valve coinmunicatiug only with said hot and cold water pipes,whereby communication may be opened or closed between said pipes and acirculation of hot water in the cold-water pipes effected, for thepurpose described, without drawing or discharging water from the pipesystem, and independent cocks or faucets for drawing the water from saidpipes.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the hot and coldwater pipes of a pipe system, a valve by which they may be placed incommunication, and a thermostat for controlling the valve.

3. The combination of thchot and cold water pipes of a pipe system, avalve by which they may be placed in communication, and a thermostatimmersed in the water for operating the valve.

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4. The combination of the hot and cold water pipes 00 a7, a valve forcontrolling the flow of water from said pipes, a thermostat immersed inthe water for controlling said valve, and a common discharge-pipe, I.

5. The combinationof the hot and cold water pipes w :20, leading to acommon chamber or casing, a valve within said chamber or casing forcontrolling the flow of water from said pipes, a thermostat alsoarranged in said chamber or casing for operating the valve,and adischargepipe, I.

6. The combination of the hot and cold Water pipes 00 as, leading to acommon chamber or casing, avalve within said chamber or casing forcontrolling the flow of water from said pipes, a thermostat alsoarranged in said chamber or casing for operating the valve, adischargepipe, I, and means for adjusting the thermostat, for thepurpose set forth.

7. The combination of the hot and cold water pipes 00 01;, leading to acommon chamber or casing, a valve within said chamber or casing forcontrolling the flow of water from said pipes, athermostat, alsoarranged in said chamber or casing, for operating the valve, adisoharge-pipe, I, means for adjusting the thermostat, and a dial andpointer to indicate the temperature at which the thermostat is adjusted.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWIN A. NEWMAN. Witnesses:

H. J. ENNIS, BALTUS DELoNu.

